Hitting Close To Home

I don’t actually like writing about the virus. (That’s probably a terrible way to start.) But, it’s like water and we are fish. It’s all around us. It affects everything we do. It clouds every decision. It’s a constant reminder of our frailty, our mortality, our interconnection with each other.

But, like water, it gets boring. So, I really didn’t want to write about it. . .AGAIN.

But, here we are.

Utah now has 19 confirmed Coronavirus deaths. The 19th was announced today. They said he was an older man, but under the age of 60. He had an underlying health condition and died in a hospital. Oh, and his name was Brad. That wasn’t in the news release.

He was my friend’s son. He had just come off a ventilator. They thought he’d turned the corner and was getting better. He died of a brain aneurysm. His mom lives in our neighborhood. She attends our church. Brad attended about six weeks ago.

We have two other people in our neighborhood that also have tested positive for Covid-19. A woman and her 20 year old daughter. They aren’t expected to need hospitalization.

I have a family member who probably had Covid-19. His wife is now showing symptoms.

It has definitely hit close to home. My lovely wife is immuncompromized. If she gets Covid-19, she might die. She probably will die.

And that thought scares me to death.

When it was a disease in China and Italy, I could think about it dispassionately. When it hit New York, I could sympathize. When it hit Washington the place I grew up, it was more personal.

And when it came to Utah, I had to deal with it. But, it wasn’t until it came to my neighborhood that started to scare me.

So, I wear gloves and a mask when I go out. I wash my hands. I am careful what I touch. I don’t let people in my home. I don’t go in other people’s homes. I get nervous when my kids go out. I get especially nervous if my lovely wife goes out.

And like everyone else, I pray for it to be over soon.

It’s hitting a little too close to home.

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.

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